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Dachshund Killer Gets Dealt Jail Time

On May 7, the trial of Dachshund killer Dudley Ramsay came to a close. The 25-year-old Brooklyn man was found guilty of aggravated animal cruelty for the deadly beating of his 5-month-old puppy, Junior. The incident occurred in 2006.

An ironworker by trade, Ramsay was convicted of punching and repeatedly smashing the pup against the side of the tub. In spite of the dog’s obvious injuries, Ramsay then waited several hours before taking Junior to a veterinary hospital—ultimately resulting in the dog’s death. A necropsy showed extensive internal injuries, including six fractured ribs and damage to the liver and lungs. The alarmed veterinarian contacted the ASPCA for assistance.

After a thorough investigation, Ramsay was arrested by ASPCA Special Agent Richard Ryan. Upon questioning, Ramsay admitted that he was only trying to "discipline" Junior for misbehaving during a bath. Further inquiry resulted in Ramsay confessing to killing his first Dachshund puppy, Viola, and burying her body in the backyard. Viola’s remains were unearthed, and a necropsy performed at the ASPCA’s Bergh Memorial Hospital revealed that the small dog’s skull had been crushed.

“I think I need help with anger management because I killed my first dog, too,” Ramsey stated several hours after his arrest, according to Special Agent Ryan’s testimony in court.

The brutality of Ramsay's acts impelled Deputy Assistant District Attorney Carol Moran to push for the maximum sentence allowed by law—two years in jail. Despite her efforts, Ramsay was acquitted of killing Viola, but found guilty of felony animal cruelty in the death of Junior. He was sentenced to four months incarceration by Judge Michael Gary. The ruling also places Ramsay on five years probation, mandates anger management training and psychological counseling, and he is banned from owning an animal for eight years.

"While the severity of the crime certainly would have justified a stiffer sentence, we are pleased that this senseless violence resulted in a felony conviction and a term of incarceration," says Stacy Wolf, Vice President and Chief Legal Counsel for ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement.

If you know of an animal who is being hurt, please report it. To report animal cruelty in New York City, call the ASPCA's tip line at (877) THE-ASPCA. Visit our Report Cruelty FAQ to learn how to report cruelty elsewhere.